Month: March 2026

Everyone entered the main lab to see Tevik lying dead and a Krynoid in its transitionary period standing over him! This Krynoid was a healthy green! “Demna?!” yelped Tysar. The Krynoid turned to see the entire group. The Paradigm Drone Dalek entered the room and spotted the creature.

“EXTERMINATE!” it shouted and fired! The Krynoid was knocked back, then ran out of the hole it made in the wall.

“Oh, looky!” grunted the Doctor. “Another target Daleks can’t kill, a healthy Krynoid!”

“We have to get Demna-!” urged Tavis.

“Demna’s gone,” replied the Doctor. “The Krynoid’s consumed EVERYTHING about him. His flesh, his mind, his very SOUL!”

“Doctor, you said that Krynoids can control plants,” said Sailor Pluto.

“Alert! Alert! Vegetation ensnaring lab!” warned the Dalek as vines covered the hole the Krynoid made.

“…Your sense of timing is appalling, Setsuna!” hissed the Doctor.

“My crew!” gasped Tavis. “I have to contact my crew!” He pulled out his communicator. “Attention! Attention! This is Captain Tavis!”

“Bettan, receiving you, Sir!” replied another voice.

“The situation’s bad!” reported Tavis. “Prepare for takeoff!”

“What about you?!”

“Never mind me!” urged Tavis. “Dr. Vrelan had created a Krynoid and has tested on Daleks! One Dalek survivor already shot him, the rest of the science team were fed to the Krynoid! Vrelan was a Reclamationist! Get out of there, NOW! The jungle will literally turn against you! Get back to New Davius! We’ll deal with the Krynoid here!”

“…Understood, Sir. Good luck.” The call ended.

“Doctor, the TARDIS!” warned Tysar.

“I’ll get you to the TARDIS when this is over, Doctor,” promised Sailor Pluto.

“You see? We have a route back,” the Doctor assured Tysar. “For now, we need to deal with the current crisis. …You, Red Dalek Ranger!”

“That is not my name!” barked the Dalek.

“We need to cut a way through to the Krynoid so we can deal with it. Can your weapon destroy plant matter?”

“Yes! My weapon can do the job, but my manipulator arm can also be replaced with a cutting torch!”

“Ooh! Two means of plant destruction! Good, good, good!” She plucked a communicator out of the lab’s storage unit. “Now, one, two, three, four, five. The Dalek and I are going alone, ask me why.”

“Why?!” yelped the Quantum Ranger.

“Because I’m dangerous when I don’t know what I’m doing. Right then! Ranger!” The Dalek twitched at being named. The panel on the back of its travel skirt then opened as its manipulator arm moved along a rail on its midsection, then tucked itself into the space the panel was concealing. A new arm then replaced it as the panel slid back into its usual place, then the new arm traveled along the rail and fitted itself into the manipulator arm socket. “Excellent! Let’s go!”

“Doctor-!” protested Tysar.

“Stay with the others, Tysar!” called the Doctor as she and the Dalek headed off.

“…Hey, if it gets too hairy,” said the Quantum Ranger, “I can get help.” He pulled out his Morpher. “This thing allows me to summon the Q-Rex Zord.”

“And I can augment its attacks with my own,” offered Sailor Pluto.

“…We wait until the Dalek does something stupid,” decided Tysar.

---

The Doctor and the Dalek cut their way through the jungle and entered a clearing. “Krynoid in vicinity!” warned the Dalek.

“Hold off on your weapons for a second,” said the Doctor. “I want to negotiate.”

“Negotiations with you animals,” replied a voice, “will not be possible, Doctor.” The Doctor and the Dalek whirled around to see the fully matured Krynoid and…

“GOOD NIGHT!” yelped the Doctor. “You’re as big as St. Paul’s Cathedral already!”

“Skaro’s sun has provided us the opportunity to grow to this size,” replied the Krynoid.

“Listen, if Demna’s in there, I need to speak with him!” urged the Doctor.

“The Thal host is gone. We shall go to New Davius.”

“You’re too big for the Bettan!”

“But our pods will survive. They need to adapt to space and the properties of New Davius. Once the Thals discover the pods, they shall germinate and we shall finish what the Daleks could not. Soon, Dalek and Thal alike will cease to exist. Skaro and New Davius belong to us.”

“I think I’ve heard enough!” declared the Doctor. “Dalek!”

“EXTERMINATE! EXTERMINATE!” The Dalek fell onto basic Dalek instinct, but the gunstick and torch arm proved useless. The Krynoid grabbed the Dalek and crushed it like a tin can.

“…Well, that’s a distress signal sent out to the wrong crowd,” muttered the Doctor.

“The Daleks cannot stop us,” replied the Krynoid. “Skaro will be ours. We shall consume all animal life-.” Just then, something big and metal struck the Krynoid from behind. The Krynoid turned to see a metal T-rex robot staring it down.

“…Isn’t that the-?” The Doctor realized what was going on. “…Eric!” she grumbled.

“Doctor, before you get mad,” said Tysar as she and her group arrived, “Eric summoning his Q-Rex Zord was the best option we had for distracting the Krynoid!”

“And its stasis field attack can immobilize the Krynoid long enough to be destroyed!” urged Sailor Pluto.

“Speaking of which,” said the Quantum Ranger. He held his Morpher to where his mouth would be. “Q-Rex, MEGAZORD MODE!” The Q-Rex Zord then assumed a humanoid form with a missile launcher replacing the right forearm. “Now, MAX BLIZZARD!” The Q-Rex Megazord fired streams of stasis energy from its shoulder at the Krynoid. The Krynoid froze in time, then Sailor Pluto summoned her Garnet Rod, complete with the Garnet Orb on top, and twirled it to create a whirlwind.

“Dead Scream!” she announced as the wind entered the Garnet Orb, creating a glowing purple ball of energy. She spun once, holding the Garnet Rod before her, and then fired the light purple energy at the temporally frozen Krynoid, destroying it in an explosion.

“…Q-Rex, return,” the Quantum Ranger said into his Morpher. The Q-rex left the scene.

“Captain Tavis, this is the Bettan,” came a voice over Tavis’ comms.

“Go ahead,” ordered Tavis.

“We’re ready to pick you all up, but it’s going to have to be a quick one! That Dalek sent out a distress signal to the Dalek Fleet currently 500 parsecs from the Skaro System.”

“Come on!” called Tavis. Everyone rushed back to the Bettan and it took off, leaving Skaro’s atmosphere and entering hyperspace quickly. The new helmsman checked the readings.

“…We’re not being pursued,” he reported. “The Daleks are too busy with landing on the now…well, for them, safer Skaro.”

“Yeah, safe isn’t exactly a word I’d use for Skaro,” remarked the Doctor. “Now, with us being in a much safer position, we need to get Sailor Pluto and Eric back.”

“I’ll deal with that part, Doctor,” said Sailor Pluto. “Time is also my thing, not just the Time Lords. By the way, congratulations on Gallifrey’s second restoration.”

“Thank you!” replied the Doctor.

“Come along, Eric!” declared Sailor Pluto. “I know you’re a Time Force ranger, but this is a little too far into your future.”

“Right,” replied the Quantum Ranger. He then held up his Morpher. “Power Down!” he said. His suit then vanished and he returned to normal. “Later!” he called. Sailor Pluto then used her Garnet Rod to make herself and Eric vanish.

“Well, with all that…goodbye,” said the Doctor as she headed back to the TARDIS.

---

The Doctor arrived in Engineering and found the TARDIS where she parked it. “There we are, old girl,” she said to her ship. She then heard footsteps. She looked to see Tavis and Tysar. “…You know me,” the Doctor said. “No point in long goodbyes.”

“But our job isn’t done yet,” said Tysar.

“…Tysar, I brought you back to your people,” reminded the Doctor.

“She’s right,” remarked Tavis. “You don’t need to travel with her anymore.”

“Too many people are being taken out of their proper times,” insisted Tysar. “I NEED to help them! And so does the Doctor!”

“You don’t need to travel with her!” replied Tavis.

“I have a job to do! And now, so do you!”

“Tysar, you’re choosing to go with a person where death just follows her and you’re very likely going to be a casualty!” Tysar goggled at Tavis.

“…I beg your pardon?” asked the Doctor.

“A lot of good people died along with the wicked ones,” said Tavis, looking directly at the Doctor, “and that’s more death than I signed up for.”

“Tavis, do you really think I wanted today to unfold the way it did?”

“No, Doctor, but I don’t see how you can go on when I can barely stomach it. And Tysar, how can YOU stomach it?!”

“I’m in the same boat as the Doctor here!” argued Tysar. “I may not have liked Demna, but I wouldn’t wish his fate on anyone and I doubt-!”

“Tysar, please,” interrupted the Doctor. She looked at Tavis. “…You’d rather not come with us?”

“My people say that a hero can burn someone like fire if you get too close and, Doctor, I got too close to every Thal’s hero today! …Tysar, please, don’t get too close to the Doctor.”

“…That’s not an option!” hissed Tysar. “Not when the universe needs my help while I’m capable of doing something to help it!” She then rushed to the TARDIS doors.

“Tysar! No! NOT LIKE THIS!” argued Tavis despairingly.

“Doctor, come on! We have work to do!” called Tysar. She then shut the door, leaving the Doctor to consider what was said. …She then sighed and walked to the doors.

“Doctor, you can’t-!” protested Tavis.

“I’m sorry, but she’s made her choice, Tavis,” said the Doctor. “…But she’ll be back on New Davius when this is over, I promise.”

“…How can you promise something like that when it’s HER choice?” asked Tavis, the first Thal to ever look at the Doctor with bitterness. He stormed back to the bridge. The Doctor sighed, then entered the TARDIS. It dematerialized in its usual manner with an engineer looking at where it was, having heard the whole argument.

“…Good luck, Doctor, Tysar,” said the engineer as he resumed his work.

“OPEN UP IN THERE!” shouted Demna as he banged on the lab’s door. “I KNOW A PREFABRICATED LAB WHEN I SEE ONE!”

“He’s not listening,” muttered Sailor Pluto.

“Maybe I can get us in,” said Eric as he pulled out a red handheld device. “QUANTUM POWER!” he called. A red suit and full-face helmet then appeared over him as he assumed his identity as the Quantum Ranger.

“Eric, your Ranger form is overkill!” protested the Doctor. “No, this requires finesse.” She pulled out her sonic screwdriver.

“Well, good thing the door’s not wood,” chuckled Sailor Pluto. The Doctor switched the screwdriver on and aimed it at the door…but nothing happened.

“What?” muttered the Doctor. She buzzed the door again, but still nothing. She checked the readings. “…Drat! He’s deadlocked the door! All right, Eric, go ahead.”

“Quantum Defender it is!” said the Quantum Ranger. He pulled out a red and silver t-rex themed gun and fired at the door lock. The lock exploded and the door opened. The Quantum Ranger mimed blowing on the barrel.

“…You DO realize that’s a laser, right?” asked Tevik.

“Oh, bite me!” replied the Quantum Ranger. “It’s cool!” The group then entered the lab.

“It’s dark in here,” muttered the Doctor. “I really must start carrying a torch!”

“Found the lights,” replied Demna.

“Switch them on,” ordered Tavis. The lights switched on and everyone could see the tubes with what looked like mounds of over-cooked spinach in them…barring one.

“Now that IS peculiar,” muttered the Doctor. She then spotted a recording device. “I wonder.” She then played back what Vrelan had recorded earlier. “…Smaller subjects?” muttered the Doctor. “What-?”

“Doctor!” called Tysar, slightly panicked.

“What is-?” The Doctor gasped when she saw the final tube. Inside it wasn’t a vegetable mound…but a Dalek creature!

“Eugh!” gagged the Quantum Ranger. “What IS that?!”

“That’s what a Dalek really looks like inside its casing,” replied the Doctor.

“THAT’S a Dalek?!” protested the Quantum Ranger. “The most evil life-form in existence?!”

“Then the mounds are-?!” gulped Tysar.

“They USED to be Daleks like our friend here,” replied the Doctor. “But somehow, they came into contact with Krynoid DNA. Not exactly ideal for a Krynoid host.”

“Why would Vrelan want to do that?!” shuddered Tavis. “The Daleks are evil, but we can’t inflict suffering on them! Otherwise we’d be no better than the Daleks!”

“The same kind of thing I said to myself when I found myself at the Daleks’ Genesis,” said the Doctor, recalling the incubation room and the wires she held in her fourth incarnation’s hand and Sarah Jane and Harry trying to urge her, rather HIM, to complete his mission for the Time Lords.

“But why make green bombs, Doctor?” asked Sailor Pluto.

“Tavis, Tysar, are there any on New Davius that would see the Thals return to Skaro?” asked the Doctor.

“The Reclamationists,” replied Tysar. “They think we can somehow push the Daleks off Skaro and retake it, making it a planet for purely Thals to live on. Basically, we should do to the Daleks what they did to us, at least that’s what a Reclamationist would say.”

“Fan out and search,” ordered Tavis. “But be careful. His logs said that the control variable’s still alive.”

“Tysar, Sailor Pluto, Eric, you stick close to me,” directed the Doctor. As everyone left, the Dalek creature looked intently at their retreating forms. Then it focused on the glass imprisoning it and prepared to hurl itself against the glass!

---

Demna had his side arm in his hand, looking fierce. “No Reclamationist’s gonna make ME move here!” he growled. “I’ll-!”

“Excuse me, but what are you doing here?” asked Vrelan’s voice as he stepped out of the shadows.

“Dr. Vrelan, you’d better not be a Reclamationist!” warned Demna. “If I find out that this whole thing is supposed to ‘reclaim Skaro for the Thal Race’, I’ll-!” Vrelan kicked the gun out of Demna’s hand then stuck a syringe into his neck! Demna collapsed to the ground with Vrelan making it so the impact didn’t make so much noise.

“I’m sorry, Commander,” said Vrelan, “but I can’t let you stop me, not when we CAN reclaim Skaro and drive the Daleks away. …It seems the experiment must take a different course.”

---

Tysar was bouncing her knee up and down, looking around nervously. “Doctor, are we really safe?” asked Sailor Pluto, verbalizing Tysar’s question.

“Relatively, yes,” said the Doctor. “But this IS Skaro we’re talking about and-.” She was interrupted by a scream.

“That was Demna!” yelped Tysar.

“Come on!” called the Doctor. By now, everyone rushed to Demna’s position. He was convulsing bad. The Doctor knelt down and saw green hives on his hand!

“He’s been in contact with a Krynoid pod!” she warned. “Everyone, keep back!”

“Doctor, are we sure of that?” asked Tysar.

“It’s the only logical explanation!” replied the Doctor.

“Then…why is there a puncture mark on his neck?”

“What?!” The Doctor caught sight of the puncture mark! “…This isn’t because of a pod! The Krynoid DNA’s been administered via a syringe!”

“…Vrelan!” hissed Tavis. “That must be the deployment system he talked about in his logs!”

“We need to get him to sick bay!” urged Tevik.

“Agreed! Come on, Demna!” The Doctor and Tavis helped the infected Demna up.

---

Demna was tied down as the hives were turning into vines. “I’m going to try and save him, but I don’t have much hope,” said the Doctor.

“The sedatives won’t wear off for a while yet,” reported Tevik. “We need to find Vrelan and make him pay!”

“Doctor, we’ll stand guard here,” offered Tavis. “You just keep my sister and our friends safe as you look for him, all right?”

“Got it,” replied the Doctor. The group then left.

“Sir, do you think there’s any hope for Demna?” asked Tevik.

“I don’t know, Lieutenant,” sighed Tavis. “All we can do is hope the Doctor can prevent his death.”

---

The group arrived at a locked part of the lab. “Let’s see what’s behind door number one, shall we?” asked the Doctor. She buzzed the door and it opened with ease. They entered the room and took stock.

“Look at all this!” said the Quantum Ranger. “What’s it all for?!” The Doctor examined the notes.

“Militarized terraforming!” she growled. “That’s what this is all about! It’s not just to reclaim Skaro, it’s to weaponize the telepathic control Krynoids have over other plants!” The Doctor then heard the familiar rattling noise Krynoids make! She turned to see a Krynoid in its humanoid shape within arm’s reach of the Quantum Ranger and Sailor Pluto! “Eric! Setsuna! Get back!” The two turned around and jumped back.

“Is that a Krynoid?!” yelped Tysar. The Doctor noticed how brown it was.

“…Yes, but it’s malnourished,” she said.

“Is that…dried blood on its tendrils?” asked Sailor Pluto.

“…Yes. In fact, it’s dried Slyther blood, along with dried THAL blood!”

“Thal?! You mean Vrelan’s fed his team to this thing?!”

“Yes, but it looks like he’s really stretched out the time between meals, watering, and time in the sun for this poor thing.”

“A necessary sacrifice I was willing to make,” came Vrelan’s voice. Everyone turned to see Vrelan with a modified Dalek gun in his hand!

“Vrelan, this is obscene!” snarled the Doctor. “What you’re doing is wrong! You’ve killed your entire team and-!”

“My ENTIRE team, Doctor?” asked Vrelan. “I think you’ll find Varsa is very much alive.” He nodded to the sickly Krynoid. “Though she won’t be for long.”

“Varsa?!” yelped Tysar. “That’s my childhood friend!”

“Demna should serve to be a better candidate for what I have planned,” said Vrelan.

“What, weaponized terraforming?” asked the Doctor. “Careful, that’s a Dalek method.”

“No! It’s different!” insisted Vrelan.

“I see no difference! You tap into the Krynoid’s telepathic field and then what? Command it to kill the Daleks, bring any survivors to you so you can convert them into your green bombs and detonate them to make new jungles, is that it?!”

“The Daleks will finally create something worthwhile through their deaths! And I have the means to control the Krynoids! They’ll be cultivated into something better! All the worlds the Daleks brought under their control? We can restore them! The Daleks never cared about the natural world of each planet they control! Not even Skaro! Well, the Daleks will learn what happens when you anger Mother Nature and-!”

“This isn’t part of the natural world!” argued the Doctor. “Bending plants to someone’s will, especially a Krynoid, will get someone killed!” Then…they heard a crash, like glass shattering. “…Oh no!”

“…Demna?” asked Tysar.

“No! I haven’t fitted the control collar on him yet!” yelped Vrelan. The Doctor then spotted what she initially thought was a red boiler…but upon closer inspection, she saw a plunger, an elongated whisk, black hemispheres, a pair of dome lamps, and an eyestalk.

“…Those Daleks you used,” she said, “were they Paradigm ones?”

“Mere drones, why?” asked Vrelan. Just then, two people outside screamed!

“Tavis?!” yelped Tysar. Tavis stumbled in, trying to get something off of him! The Doctor realized that it was the sole uninfected Dalek!

“GET THAT THING OFF HIM!” she called. Everyone, sans Vrelan, rushed to get the Dalek off Tavis, then the Dalek leapt off and scurried towards the Paradigm Drone casing. It opened the top, then slithered into the casing and closed it! The eyestalk then switched on! It had a yellow light with a blue pupil shaped after a goat’s. The casing’s limbs and eyestalk then twitched and rose upwards until they were level with everything. The dome swiveled so the eyestalk could take everything in. It spotted the sickly Krynoid, then aimed its gunstick!

“EXTERMINATE!” it shouted. It then fired, killing the sickly Krynoid.

“NO! YOU FOOL!” shouted Vrelan. “YOU’RE RUINING THE-!” The Dalek fired its gunstick on Vrelan, exterminating him and taking its revenge. It then looked directly at the Doctor.

“YOU ARE THE DOCTOR!” it screamed. “YOU ARE THE ENEMY OF THE DALEKS! YOU WILL BE-!” Another scream then cut it off, then a crash!

The repairs lasted a while. During that time, the ship was still hanging in space just above the planet. Finally, the Doctor grumbled and pulled herself out of the console she was working on. “…Well?” asked Tavis.

“…There’s nothing wrong with your sensors and Tevik’s math is correct,” sighed the Doctor.

“What on New Davius is THAT supposed to mean?!” protested Demna. “That planet looks nothing like Skaro! …Anything on long-range yet?”

“No saucers,” replied Tevik, “but I’d rather not run the risk.”

“And what I said means exactly what it means,” said the Doctor. “Your equipment is working perfectly and there’s no operator error. That IS Skaro we’re orbiting.”

“But that’s-!” argued Tysar.

“Look,” interrupted the Doctor, “us repeating the fact that the planet doesn’t look like how we remember seeing Skaro from space won’t change the fact that everything is working perfectly and Tevik’s the best damned helmsman of New Davius. The only way we can settle this mystery is to go down to the planet’s surface, risking the potential for a trap to be sprung.”

“That’s always fun,” sighed Tysar.

“The radiation may be less than normal Skaro readings,” said Tavis, “but I’m not running that risk. Demna, our stock of anti-radiation drugs?”

“We have enough for the Doctor and our friends,” replied Demna.

“Good. Tysar, you’ll need to arm yourself-.”

“Hold on! I didn’t need a weapon during my time in Gotham-!”

“Tysar, you ARE on my ship and I WON’T have my sister be exterminated so soon after reuniting with her. Arm yourself. That is an order.”

“Tysar, I loathe guns like you do,” said the Doctor, “but the Daleks will kill or enslave anyone that is unarmed. Not everyone can talk their way out of extermination like we do. Besides, those ARE stun weapons, enough for a quick getaway back to the ship or the TARDIS. Should the Daleks’ potential trap result in my death, take your people into the TARDIS and it will take you all back to New Davius. So, please, for my peace of mind, take it.”

“…Fine, Doctor,” grumbled Tysar.

“That goes for you two,” Tavis said to Eric and Setsuna.

“…Much appreciated,” said Setsuna, “but I am already armed.” She raised her hand. “Ordinarily, I’d consider everyone as civilians and wouldn’t do this in a public setting, but we’re pressed for time. Pluto Planet Power, MAKE UP!” A bright light surrounded Setsuna as her civilian clothes changed into her outfit as Sailor Pluto! Eric blinked.

“…You girls are real?!” he asked. “I thought you were just some superhero girl group from Japan!”

“We’re as real as you Power Rangers, Eric,” replied Sailor Pluto.

“…Sailor Scouts, I HAVE heard of,” remarked Demna, “but what are Power Rangers?”

“We’ll explain later,” replied the Doctor.

---

The Bettan landed near the jungle. Everyone inside took their first dose of anti-radiation drugs and stepped out. …It felt like the Amazon Rainforest to the Doctor! Hot and humid with massive trees and plants! “Even the jungles I visited when I blundered onto Skaro,” muttered the Doctor, “weren’t Earth-like!”

“This should be a petrified jungle,” remarked Tysar.

“Readings indicate,” said Tevik, “that we’ll take our next anti-radiation treatment in six earth hours.”

“Excellent,” said Tavis. “Now, stay close and be careful. Slythers could enjoy a jungle like this.”

“Slyther?” asked Eric.

“A carnivorous beast, large and inky black,” replied the Doctor, “with fearsome claws on its hands. It’s a nocturnal predator, but it HAS been known to eat during the day.”

“And it’s got thick skin in the most literal sense,” said Tysar.

“EXCUSE ME! ALL OF YOU!” shouted a voice.

“Well, that’s not a Dalek,” remarked the Doctor. A Thal man then approached the group.

“Dr. Vrelan!” sighed Tavis in relief. “Thank our ancestors, we found you!”

“Yes, yes, you did! Now who are you?!” demanded the new Thal, Vrelan.

“We’re the rescue party from New Davius,” replied Demna. “We were sent to retrieve you and your team as Skaro is too dangerous for-.”

“Then tell High Command that your mission is a failure! I’m too busy!” snapped Vrelan.

“…I don’t think you understand,” said Tavis. “We’re taking you home, away from-.”

“No, no, no, NO! My work here on Skaro is too important!” insisted Vrelan.

“Sir, this isn’t up for debate!” snapped Tavis. “We’ve called this the Forbidden Planet for a reason and-!”

“I don’t care! GO AWAY!”

“Dr. Vrelan,” interjected the Doctor, “what is so important that you would risk being shot at by Daleks right on their native world?”

“That’s not your concern, human!”

“Time Lord,” corrected the other Thals.

“…Pardon?”

“Yep, that’s the Doctor,” said Tysar. “You know, the one who saved our ancestors’ butts?”

“Her TARDIS is on my ship,” said Tavis. “The same ship you WILL be boarding.”

“…I see,” remarked Vrelan. He then gave his attention to the Doctor. “Doctor, you’ll have to forgive me for dragging you into such a trifle, but my work is extremely important. Even-.” That’s when a scream echoed throughout the jungle.

“Tevik!” yelped Tavis. He and the group followed the scream. “Tevik, are you-?!”

“I-I’m fine, physically!” replied Tevik as he pointed to the body of a big, black, hulking thing with claws on its hands and eyes protruding on stalks like snails. “But seeing a shredded Slyther corpse will haunt my nightmares!” The Doctor stepped forward to investigate. Part of the flesh was missing and there were severe bite marks, meaning that the missing flesh was probably in the biter’s gullet and being digested.

“Whatever did this must have been strong,” remarked Tysar. “Those things can’t even be pierced by Varga plant spikes.”

“Or be stung by the flytrap type of Varga,” said the Doctor as she took readings from the sonic screwdriver. She checked the readings and goggled when she saw traces of chloroplasts and schizophytes around the bite marks! “But it WAS a plant that killed this Slyther!”

“What plant could do that?” asked Sailor Pluto.

“None of the native Skaro flora could-,” said Tysar.

“Exactly, none of the NATIVE Skaro flora,” interrupted the Doctor. “This wasn’t done by a native plant. I think I know why the Daleks haven’t attacked us, they had to abandon the planet! That would partially explain the lower radiation and the appearance of a proper jungle! I think Skaro’s home to a Krynoid!”

“Preposterous!” scoffed Vrelan.

“A Krynoid, Doctor?” asked Tysar. “What’s that?”

“I can’t say as I’ve heard of a Krynoid,” remarked Tavis.

“Well, on most planets, animals eat the vegetation, yes?” asked the Doctor. Everyone nodded. “On planets where the Krynoid gets established, the tables are turned.”

“What, all plants turn carnivorous?” asked Demna.

“Yes,” replied the Doctor. “The Krynoids are vegetable life that feed on animal life. Dr. Vrelan, if the Daleks are wisely leaving this world, you should too!”

“I can’t! My work is too important!” insisted Vrelan. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to the lab before I actually start believing spaceport stories about plant men!” He stormed off!

“Dr. Vrelan, come back here! My ship is THAT way!” called Tavis.

“Now that IS peculiar,” mused the Doctor.

“What is?” asked Eric.

“Not once did I mention plant men,” explained the Doctor, “but that IS one of the stages of the Krynoid’s growth.”

“Doctor, I think you’d better fill us in on how these Krynoids grow,” said Demna.

“They start off as seed pods, half as big as your head,” began the Doctor. “Once the seeds are given enough warmth and nutrients, they split open and a shoot grabs a nearby animal, then fuses with it, pumping it full of Krynoid-based schizophytes, plant bacteria. The schizophytes then consume the animal tissue while the host is alive, then the Krynoid cells take the consumed animal cells’ place. Eventually, the Krynoid will assume a vaguely humanoid shape and look for food and warmth. After a while, the Krynoid will just be a mound of vegetable matter with tendrils, ready to eat and spread more of its seed pods, as well as telepathically control any plant life to achieve its aims of killing all animal life.”

“And we’re in a minefield under Krynoid control!” gulped Tysar.

“Not yet,” said the Doctor, “or the plants would have attacked us already. I think something’s keeping our Krynoid at bay. …And I believe Dr. Vrelan will provide the answers.”

---

Back in the lab set up by Dr. Vrelan, said scientist had pulled out a recording device set next to two opened seed pods! He activated the device and spoke into it. “The pods have germinated well,” he said. “The first subject has responded to the treatment well. She has grown into a fine specimen; however, the lack of regular amounts of food, water, and sunlight has left her weak. This has allowed for some control. I am preparing the next test. In the first test, I allowed the shoot from the pod to fuse with the test subject in accordance with the natural life cycle of a Krynoid. The next few tests were smaller scale ones to see if Krynoid DNA would change them and also served to see if the deployment system I developed would work. While the test subjects after the control didn’t survive, the control could use the dead subjects as a sort of green bomb, hence the sudden appearance of the jungle and decreased radiation. Now I shall see if a direct injection into something bigger shall produce a faster result for something like the control.” He ended his log and pulled up the security feed to show the Doctor and her friends approaching the lab. “Once again, Doctor, you shall help us Thals in our greatest peril.”

“Adjusting heading,” reported a blonde man on the bridge of a starship.

“Why are we going back there?” muttered another blonde man. “We evacuated that planet for a reason.”

“Okay, at this point, I’m just repeating myself,” groaned the captain of the ship of blondes. “A science team was last reported there and we have to conduct a retrieval mission.”

“They’re probably dead already!” protested the second man.

“Well, would YOU wanna let them stay there?!” argued the helmsman.

“All right, all right!” called the Captain. “Let’s not start an argument. High Command already assigned us this mission and we’re too close to our target planet to turn back now.

“Approaching the coordinates,” said the helmsman. His brow then furrowed. “…Hang on…why aren’t their orbital defenses activating?”

“Tevik’s right,” said the second blonde. “They should be shooting at us by now.”

“…Scan for any ships and orbital defenses, Commander Demna,” the Captain ordered the second man. Demna ran his scans.

“…The sensors must be faulty!” he protested. “There’s nothing! No ships, no satellites, nothing!”

“Captain Tavis, sir, the readings I’m getting from the planet aren’t matching what we know of our target,” said Tevik.

“Put it up on screen,” ordered the Captain, Tavis. Tevik pulled up the view of the planet and everyone blinked in surprise. “…That can NOT be possible,” muttered Tavis. “Demna, I think you may be onto something about our sensors being faulty. Have Engineering-.” An alarm then cut out his order. “Another intruder alert?!” asked Tavis. Demna checked his instruments.

“Engineering’s reported an alien noise,” he said. “Security’s down there now and…hang on, that doesn’t make sense.”

“What?” asked Tavis. Demna turned in his chair.

“Security and Engineering are claiming that the TARDIS is aboard.”

“…I’m going down there,” decided Tavis. “Demna, you’re in command of the bridge.”

“Sir!” replied Demna as he and Tavis saluted each other. Tavis then left the bridge.

---

Security forces were aiming their stun guns at the blue box when Tavis arrived. “…Sure looks like that box the Doctor, Ian, Susan, and Barbara arrived in,” he remarked.

“Sir, can we really be sure it’s the TARDIS?” asked the lead Security Officer.

“That’s what we’ll find out,” replied Tavis. He knocked on the door. “Greetings,” he called aloud. “I am Captain Tavis of the starship Bettan. You are currently in the Engineering Section of my ship. If you could step out of the box and identify yourself-.” Tysar was the first to rush out.

“T-Tavis?!” she asked. Tavis’ eyes goggled.

“…Tysar?!” he asked.

“Gods, it IS you!” cheered Tysar as happy tears flowed from her eyes. She pulled Tavis into a hug as another Thal waved a machine over her. He looked at his readings and the genetic match confirmed that it was Tysar.

“Tysar, where have you been?!” asked Tavis. “You vanished three years ago and-!”

“I’ll tell you everything soon!” promised Tysar. “For now, how many of you here want to see our greatest hero’s current face?” The surrounding Thals nodded. “Thought so!” Tysar turned towards the TARDIS. “Doctor! Come on out! We’re among my people!” The Doctor stepped outside.

“So, this IS a Thal ship!” chuckled the Doctor.

“Doctor, it’s a great honor to meet you!” bid Tavis. “Sorry for the weapons pointing at you. I can assure you, they’re just stun weapons. …Speaking of which. All of you, stand down!” The security forces holstered their weapons. “You’ll have to pardon our jumpiness,” he said. “We’re on a dangerous mission.”

“The Bettan’s a science ship, last I checked,” remarked Tysar.

“Could someone fill me in on how Tysar and Tavis know each other?” asked the Doctor.

“Oh, he’s my baby brother,” replied Tysar. “We were together before I ended up in Gotham.”

“Ah!” The Doctor smiled. “Well, a really good thing I was tracking chronal surges, then! Tavis, was it? The reason for Tysar’s vanishing act was because an energy wave plucked her out of your time and put her somewhere else in time and space. Specifically, 21st century Earth.”

“Good heavens!” swore Tavis.

“I had to scavenge for food!” shuddered Tysar. “I am NEVER touching hot dogs again!”

“Sir, do you think that our stowaways are telling the truth?” asked a security officer. “That they were plucked out of their times by some energy wave like Tysar here?”

“Her return DOES give their story a little more credibility,” replied Tavis.

“You mean we’re not the only stowaways here?” asked the Doctor.

“No. In fact, come with me. I think you might be able to prove that they’re telling the truth.”

---

Tavis led the Doctor and Tysar to a room on the lower decks of the ship. He then keyed in a command and the door opened. Two people rose from the couch they were sitting on, one male and one female. “Hello again, Captain,” greeted the man. “Still don’t believe our story?”

“Oddly enough,” said Tavis, “I have two people that may confirm your story, Mr. Myers.” He stepped aside to reveal the Doctor and Tysar. The Doctor’s eyes lit up when she saw the woman, recognizing the tan skin and dark green hair.

“SETSUNA!” she greeted.

“Doctor!” yelped the woman, Setsuna Meiou, AKA Sailor Pluto! “I don’t believe it! It’s you again! …You’re wearing the wrong body.”

“No, I’m wearing the right body, but not necessarily in the right order,” said the Doctor. “So, odd question, but were you plucked out of your point in space and time by a chronal surge and plopped here on the Bettan, spooking the Thals here a bit?”

“That’s correct,” replied Setsuna. “And so was Mr. Myers here.” She gestured to the man.

“…Should I know you?” the Doctor asked the man.

“Eric Myers, Time Force,” greeted the man. The Doctor’s eyes widened again.

“The Quantum Ranger himself!” she said.

“You’ve heard of me?” asked Eric.

“You and your Time Force Ranger friends!” replied the Doctor. She turned back to Tavis. “They’re telling the truth! They’re not here to sabotage anything!”

“Excellent!” said Tavis. “Now…why are chronal surges popping up in the first place?”

“That would be because of the Grouping rearing its ugly head again,” explained the Doctor.

“The Grouping?” asked Setsuna.

“Then time and space are getting rearranged?” asked Eric. “That’s what I heard had happened last time the Grouping was going on.”

“Yes, but now there’s not as many races that can mitigate the damage,” answered the Doctor. “The Flux saw to that.”

“I was afraid of that,” sighed Setsuna.

“Now, we need to get you two back to your own times,” said the Doctor.

“I can handle that, Doctor,” assured Setsuna. “…But perhaps we can help the Bettan and her crew with the current problem?”

“So you DO know what the mission is,” grumbled Tavis.

“What mission is that?” asked Tysar.

---

Everyone was brought to the bridge. Demna and Tevik saw the new arrivals. “Sir?” asked Demna.

“Believe it or not, their story checks out,” replied Tavis. “The Doctor here proved that.”

“Hello!” greeted the Doctor.

“Hold on, that’s THE Doctor?!” asked Demna.

“No autographs, please,” replied the Doctor.

“Demna?!” protested Tysar.

“YOU!” snarled Demna.

“Tavis, why is HE on this mission?!” asked Tysar.

“He does good work, Tysar. You know this,” replied Tavis. “And this is my helmsman, Lieutenant Tevik.”

“A pleasure,” greeted Tevik.

“Doctor, I’m about to display a set of coordinates,” said Tavis. “Perhaps you can tell us if you recognize them?”

“It’s been a while since I read Thal Standard coordinates,” replied the Doctor, “but I think I can get by.” Tavis punched up the coordinates and the Doctor and Tysar’s faces fell to horror. “…No!” whispered the Doctor.

“No way would New Davius High Command send the Bettan there!” pleaded Tysar.

“Then you DO know the planet we’re supposed to be orbiting,” said Tavis.

“I’m afraid I don’t,” admitted Eric. “What’s wrong with the planet?”

“It’s our ancestral homeworld,” explained Tysar.

“…Skaro!” hissed the Doctor.

“Skaro?! Wait, isn’t that the homeworld of the-?!” Eric yelped.

“The Daleks, yes,” confirmed Setsuna. She then recalled something. “…Hang on, you said you’re supposed to be orbiting Skaro, Captain Tavis?”

“That’s correct,” replied Tavis. “But we haven’t been fired on and…well…” He pulled up the planet on the viewscreen. The Doctor blinked.

“…Skaro’s still a red, radioactive canker of a planet, yes?” she asked as she checked the readings.

“With Dalek ships still patrolling the skies and orbital defenses permanently set to kill any intruding vessel,” confirmed Tavis.

“So why haven’t we been shot at for one thing?” asked the Doctor. “Where are the ships and defense satellites? Why are the radiation levels only slightly higher than normal? And, most importantly, why is the planet on the screen yellow with just one green patch just south of the equator?! Are you sure you set the coordinates correctly?!”

“I’ve triple-checked my math, Doctor,” replied Tevik. “Maybe there’s something wrong with the sensors or the Daleks are trying something to disguise Skaro. Either way, we need to locate a science team on that planet and either retrieve them or…or their bodies, as is most likely the case, if that planet IS Skaro.”

“…I’ll give your sensors a repair service,” said the Doctor. “Meanwhile, I hope everyone is armed for a quick getaway.”